My call brings forth a grullo mare who trudges towards me slowly, her growing sides bulging from one side to the other with every stride. She snickers a greeting and I take a few steps towards her, lessening the distance she must walk while carrying such a heavy-looking foal. In the months leading up to my departure from the homelands, mother had been with foal- two actually. Her barrel I thought would surely rupture from the strain, but day by day she would continue to grow and silently she would endure. I remember thinking of how grateful I was to be a male, to not have to harbour all the pains and discomforts that pregnancy brings.
Morning I say as I reach my soft nose closer to her face,
you look about ready to pop. I look past her dark crown and motion towards her belly and a soft smile takes over my maw as *I spy the outline of her foal moving beneath her skin. I have no prodigy yet, no son to carry on my genes or daughter to birth the next generation, but I do hold a soft spot for the young. Not just of my species either. I suppose this is why I fancy spring as my favourite time of year, when everything is new and there is a world of opportunities just waiting.
Have you thought of a name yet? I ask, my eyes still resting on her barrel where all has gone still for the time being. Suddenly realising that she might consider me rude for gawking at her sides, I snap my vision back to the mare before she has chance to reply
Oh I’m sorry, I am Darius and if you can’t half tell, I love kids.
OOC// *I power played a little, let me know if your not cool with this and I will re-write it :)
Darius
THERE IS NO TURNING BACK